The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1887-02-26
Now by Our H@IIdom We Are
Glad to Hear It.
New Orleans States.

world mas ocCurrSu IN puDlie andlFs
Last week our neighbor was in grea
state Of excitement over the almos
hopeless condition of the situation il
Louisiana Things indeed, were a
bad as they we're during the reign d
Warmoth and Kellogg under tn,
sheen of Federal bayoncts. A revolu
tion alone redeemed us then, and i
was assumed that, as the Constitn
tional Convention cut the taxes and
curtailed Gen. Nichols term, thing
had come to such pass, only new
revolution could again save the coun
try.
Some half dozen country papers
and local politicians, of menta'
temperament similar to that Of the
Pic, were thrown into commissions ol
terror and rage by this news, and one
of them, notably our friend of the
Claiborne Guardian, wanted to strip
to the waist and wade right in for
the scalps of the administration ras-
Gals he wanted the new revolution to
start right off and keep going until
there should not be a single Demo
crat left who would not consent to
call Sam McEnery aland thief and in,
stigator Of, and copartner in, every
burglary thai has occurred in Louisi-
ana since the term Of Gov. Nichols
was cut short. Indeed for while we
had a veritable tempest in ea-pot.
Here is the awful news of tho situ-
alton, the Pic. gave us, and which so
filed up two or three of our country
contemporaries with indignation that
they were a tirery red in the face and
nearly bursted their suspenders:
at is impossible either to conceal
or to ignore the great gravity Of the
situation in this State. The struggle
of the good people of Louisiana in
lS76-77 was to recover the lost au-
tonomy of their commonwealth, and
secure the blessings of pure and eco.
nomical government. After the lapse
of ten years they have to make the
sad confession that they have been
disappointed. The work begun by
Gen. Nichols and the friends and
supporters of his administration has
fallen into the hands Of men either
unable or unwilling to continue it.
The Democratic party to which vast
majority of the best and most intelli-
gent people of the State are attached
BY venerable traditions and historic
ties, is in danger of becoming the help
less instrument of the personal ambi
tion Of small coterie Of self-seeking
politicians.
at is necessary to vindieate the
party by placing it under leadership
which will revive the memory of bet
ter days and therefore il is that the
people look for "light and leading" to
the soldier, the iurisL and the states
man, who led them in other times to
victory"
Happily, as we remarked at the be-
ginning of these few remarks, either
the Pic. was mistaken ten days ago,
or a great Transformation has taken
place in the situation tor the better,
for this morning our ncighbor paints
affairs in this rosy light;
'Fhe power of public opinion has
been demonstrated in New Orleans
during the last two years after fash
ion which has been most encouraging
to all true friends of law, order and
morality. Long g,standing abuses have
been abolished, evil-doers in high
places have been made to trcmble and
criminals of every grade have been
tried, convicted and punished.
"The long struggle which forced
the execution of the laws and the
hanging Of two murderers awakened
the people to a sense of their danger
and realization of their power, In
every rank of life feeling of deter
mination to rid the community OF
eyil-doers has taken root, and while it
was once difficult to get good men to
serve on jures it is an easy task now
to convict criminals of every class.
Grand juries are fearless, vigilant and
energetic, and the masses Of the peo-
pie in all their duties to society are
steadily working out the problem Of
good government in vigorous and
manly fashion.
Nothing could be more satisfactory
than this, Rassellas' Happy Valley
could not have presented q scene Of
more AFeadian peace than that the
good Pic. has given US of Louisiana,
at this time under McEuery's admins
tration. No doubt every Journalistic
adherept of the present Governor will
give this fair picture conspicuous
place in the columns, 1t delights us
10 even think how our esteemed friend
of the Cqpitotiqa Adgocate will roll it
as a sweet morsel under his tongue.
OF course too. it is due TO Governor
McEuery's wise administration. That
81 is proved BY the Pics own logic,
Ten days ago things were just as bad
as they could be, and the Governor
was responsible, and the only hope
was in electiug Gen, Nichols Cover
! nor to set them right, But now they
have been set right, and Of course
they must have been, 10 the PCS
logic, sci right BY the Governor, and
the Governor il McEneFy,
We trust now our Claiborne friend
win pnG his clothes ou and put ptt the
war until tile Pic, discovers that af-
fairs have again Get bad enough se
reguire 4 resolution Of war,
Tie wamaa who neeleets her hus'
-ll !. ~ l..l..I A. ~. llalnlnr Lha win